Twin sealed-beam type headlight with alignable and removable lamp units



July 28, 1953 'r. E. M DOWELL 5 75 TWIN SEALED-BEAM TYPE HEADLIGHT WITHALIGNABLE AND REMOVABLE LAMP UNITS Filed July 14, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Egzi 12 .2 2 nfa 7 Thomas 5. McDowell Z/%,:. /Mw 5272,75

T. E. M DOWELL TWIN SEALED-BEAM TYPE HEADLIGHT WITH ALIGNABLE ANDREMOVABLE LAMP UNITS s sheets-sneet'z July 28, 1953 Filed July 14, 195017.711217 TUT" T bonus 5. McDowell July 28, 1953 T. E. MCDOWELL2,647,204

TWIN SEALED-BEAM TYPE HEADLIGHT WITH ALIGNABLE AND REMOVABLE LAMP UNITS3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 14, 1950 1571 5 77ZLUT" Thomas E McDowellPatented July 28, 1953 TWIN SEALED-BEAM TYPE HEADLIGHT WITH ALIGNABLEAND REMOVABLE LAMP UNITS Thomas E. McDowell, Chicago, -Ill., assignor toThe Pyle-National Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New JerseyApplication July 14, 1950, Serial No, 17 3,805

This invention relates generally to headlight assemblies and moreparticularly to a twin sealed-beam type headlight assembly, which,although not limited thereto, finds a particularly useful application ona movable vehicle such as a railway locomotive, the assembly includingaplurality of separately alignable and removable lamp units.

According to the general features of the present invention, a twinsealed-beam type headlight is provided for a locomotive and includes acasing attachable to the front'end of a locomotive, the casing having apair of coaxially disposed openings each closed by a speciallyconstructed lamp door. Mating lug means are providedbetween the casingand each of the doors to pivotally mount the doors in removablerelationship on the casing. Latching means are also provided between thecasing and the doors to lock the doors in position across each of theopenings.

The lamp doors are of a generally annular configuration with an openingtherethrough and an adjustable lamp retainer mechanism constructed toposition a sealed-beam .type lamp is assembled in each of the doors.characteristics of the headlight may be varied by separate adjustment ofeach of the lamp retainer mechanisms.

A quick disconnect type plug and socket'is also located between thecasing and the sealedbeam lamp carried in the lamp retainer mechanism.In servicing the headlight assembly; each of the lamp doors may beunlatched and pivoted to an open position whereupon the quick disconnectplug and socket may be separated and the entire lamp door together withthe sealed-beam lamp and lamp retaining mechanism removed from thecasing. Once removed, the assembly may be conveniently serviced, forexample, in a bench servicing operation.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide aheadlight assembly which includes more than one sealed-beam type lampand. in which each lamp may be separately adjusted to vary the beamcharacteristics of the headlight.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a multiplesealed-beam type headlight assembly in which the separate lamps may notonl be individually adjusted but completely removed with great facilityfor a servicing operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel andimproved lamp door assembly for a sealed-beam type headlight assemblywhich includes removable hinging means and a Thus, the beam 2 Claims.(Cl. 240-41.35)

spring suspension support whereby a sealedbeam type lamp may besupported and cushioned in the lamp door and aligned relative thereto.

Many other advantages, features and additional objects of the presentinvention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon makingreference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanyingsheets of drawings in which a preferred embodiment of a headlightassembly incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a headlight assemblyaccording to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a headlight assemblyaccording to the present invention;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of the headlight assembly shown inFigure 1 with parts removed and with parts broken away and shown incross-section to show details of construction of the headlight assembly;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary front elevational View of the headlightassembly shown in Figure 2 with, parts removed for the sake of clarityand with the lamp door swung open and partially disassembled;

. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the lamp door with parts shownin elevation and with portions of the lamp retaining mechanism partiallydisassembled as in the course of a servicing operation.

As shown on the drawings:

, On Figure 1 a headlight assembly according to the present invention isindicated generally by thereference numeral l0 and is fixed in firmassembly on the front end of a locomotive I I.

The headlight assembly It includes a casing I2 having a pair ofcoaxially disposed openings I3 each closed by a lamp door I4. The lampdoors I4 are of identical construction and like reference numerals willbe employed to identify the component thereof.

Mating lug means are provided between the casing and each of the doorsIt to pivotally mount the doors in removable relationship on the casingI2. In the present embodiment, a lug it having a pin I! (Figure 4) isprovided on the casing l2 adjacent each of the openings I3, the pin I!being received in a journalling recess I8 formed in a lug l9 carried onone side of the lamp door I4.

Latching means are also provided between the casing I2 and each of thelamp doors I4 to lock the doors in position across each of the openingsl3. In the present embodiment, a bolt 20 carried by a bifurcated lug 2|situated adjacent each of the openings i3 on the casing I2 pivotallymounts a threaded latch stud 22 having a wing nut 23 turned thereon. Alug 24 is formed on each of the lamp doors I4 and is slotted as at 26 toreceive one of the latch studs 22 whereupon the wing nuts 23 may betightened to lock the lamp doors l4 in place.

Referring now to Figures 3, 4 and 5, the structural details of each ofthe lamp doors l4 will be described.

Each of the doors I4 comprises a generally annular cup-shaped member.The side walls of the cup-shaped member are indicated by the referencenumeral 21 and engagingly abut a gasket 28 carried by the casing l2 toform a seal-tight relationship. The side walls 2'! actually form a ringhaving a central opening 29 extending therethrough, there being anannular recess 30 at the opening 29 to receive a gasket 3| arranged toengagingly abut the flanged side walls of a lamp retainer ring 32.

The side walls 2! of the door M are provided with a plurality ofradially spaced bosses 33 suitably apertured to pass a threaded bolt 34.The

lamp retainer ring 32 has a flange 36 having a corresponding pluralityof radially spaced apertures 36 to receive each of the bolts 34. A coilspring 35 is placed around each of the bolts 34 and engages the boss 33of the door l4 and the 'flange 36 of the lamp retainer ring 32 so as tonormally bias the lamp retainer ring 32 inwardly towards the casing l2.A nut 31 may be turned onto each of the bolts 34. A lock tab 38 may bestruck out from the flange 36 to retain each of the nuts 3'1 againstrotation. The bolts 34 are preferably of the type having a slotted headas well as a slotted end portion so that the bolts 34 may be turned withthe aid of a screw driver from either side of the door H. A cotter pin33 is provided to retain the nut 31 against infadvertent disassembly.

By adjusting the bolts 34 against the bias of the spring 35, the lampretaining ring 32 may be selectively positioned in the opening 29 toventional sealed-beam lamp 4| is shouldered.

To retain the sealed beam lamp 4! in firm assembly with the lampretaining ring 32, a latch ring 42 pivotally connected to the lampretaining ring 32 by a hinge 43 may be swung over the rear of the lamp4| into abutting engagement with the rear face of the annular flange M0.on the lamp 4| and latched by a key latch 44.

As will be noted on Figures 4 and 5, the flange 35 of the lamp retainingring 32 has an embossed recess portion 46 which carries the key latch 44and the latch ring 42 is provided with a complementary tab 47 aperturedas at 48 to receive the key 49 of the key latch 44.

A pair of ears 53 arranged in diametrically opposed relationship arecarried in firm assembly with the latch ring 42. In this embodiment,

one of the cars 50 is employed to carry a clip which supports aconductor wire 52. The conductor wire 52 is preferably connected tosuitable electrical conductor means positioned on the casing l2 by aquick disconnect type coupling or plug and socket. In the presentembodiment, a socket is shown at 53 which may be quickly connected ordisconnected with a mating plug 54.

The operation of the apparatus thus far described is particularlyadvantageous when the headlight assembly is employed as part of arailway locomotive. On many dieselized switch engines as well as onsteam locomotives, it is impossible to service a headlight assembly fromthe inside of the locomotive cab, hence, if a servicing operation isnecessary, a workman must mount the narrow ladders and catwalks whichare usually provided on a locomotive in order to gain access to theheadlight assembly. Once such access is gained, the operator isfrequently obliged to retain a firm grip on the hand rails or ladders ofthe locomotive with one hand while an attempt is made to service theheadlight assembly I with the other hand. Needless to say, such anoperation can frequently lead to injury of personnel as well as damageto equipment if the ltiieadlight assembly is only of ordinary construc-The structure of the headlight assembly Hl according to the presentinvention can be easily disassembled with only one hand despite the factthat the servicing operator is retaining a grip on the locomotive IIwith his other hand.

The wing nut 23 may be loosened on the latch stud 22 and the door l4pivoted open around the axis of the pin H. The operator can then reachWithin the casing l2 and quickly disconnect the socket 53 and the plug54. An upward displacement of the lamp door I4 will then disengage themating lug means including the lug HS on the easing l2 and the lug IS onthe door 14 whereupon the entire lamp unit including the door E4together with the sealed beam lamp 4| and the lamp retaining mechanismincluding the lamp retaining ring 32 and the latch ring 42 may beremoved from the casing I2 and carried to a bench or other suitablelocation for subsequent servicing.

To remove the sealed-beam lamp 4| from the retaining mechanism, thelatch ring 42 may be disconnected from the lamp retaining ring 32 bydisengaging the key latch 44 whereupon the latch ring 42 will be pivotedon the hinge 43 out of registry with the sealed-beam lamp 4!.

The use of two sealed-beam lamps 4| in a single headlight assembly is,of course, a provision made for safety purposes primarily, however, itwill be appreciated that the use of a multiple lamp unit also permitsthe merging of the individual beams of light produced by the sealedbeamlamps 4!. In this connection, it is important to note that the apparatusof the present invention permits each individual lamp unit to beseparately adjusted, the three-point suspension afforded by the bolts 34between the lamp door [4 and the lamp retaining ring 32 afiording aconvenient means for varying the alignment of the sealed-beam lamps 4|and hence the beam characteristics of the headlight assembly [0. Thebolts 34 can, of course, be turned from either side of the door i4 andthe various adjusted positions of the bolts 34 will be readily retainedby the lock tab 38.

Although I have resorted to detail in the description of the preferredstructural embodiments provided according to the principles of thepresent invention, it should be understood that I Wish to embrace withinthe scope of this patent all such modifications as reasonably andproperly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a headlight assembly, a casing means providing an opening, a lampdoor for closing said opening and comprising a generally annularring-like member hinged at one side and latched at the other side tosaid casing means, a sealed beam lamp retainer ring carried by said doorto receive a sealed-beam type lamp, means to lock the lamp in theretainer ring in firm assembly with the door, and a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced axially adjustable connections between saiddoor and said ring, the beam projected by the sealed beam type lampbeing adjustably aligned relative to said door upon adjusting saidconnections, said connections comprising a plurality of bolts, aresilient member around each of said bolts and fasteners on said boltspositioning said retainer ring on said bolts against said resilientmembers to vary the alignment of the sealed-beam type lamp and the beamcharacteristics of the headlight assembly.

2. In a headlight assembly, a casing providing an opening, a hinged lampdoor closing said opening and having an opening therethrough, a retainerring in said opening, a sealed-beam lamp in said opening of said lampdoor and carried by said retainer ring, a latch ring hinged to saidretainer ring on the inside of said door and pivotable from an inactiveposition to a locking position, locking means between said retainer ringand said latch ring to lock said lamp in firm assembly with said door, aplurality of circumferentially spaced bolts between said retainer ringand said door, a coil spring around each bolt and operative to bias saiddoor and said retainer ring apart from one another, and a correspondingplurality of fasteners to position said retainer ring on said boltsagainst the bias of said springs to adjustably vary the beam alignmentof the sealed-beam lamp relative to said door, and hinge and latch meanshingedly connecting said door to said casing, whereby said door may beswung open for service without disturbing beam alignment position ofsaid ring relative to said door.

THOMAS E. MCDOWELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,631,112 Aalborg June 7, 1927 1,793,227 Evans Feb. 17, 19311,895,466 Kuntz Jan. 31, 1933 1,960,922 Richard May 29, 1934 1,963,608Baker June 19, 1934 2,058,341 Mink Oct. 20, 1936 2,124,346 Grimes July19, 1938 2,169,627 Worden et a1 Aug. 15, 1939 2,194,373 Wright Mar. 19,1940 2,219,143 Wharam Oct. 22, 1940 2,307,739 Bahr Jan. 12, 1943 OTHERREFERENCES Sealed Beam Headlights, pgs. -96, July 1948 (from Ry. Mech.Engn, July 1948).

